Operations School and Michigan Women Forward Announce First All-Virtual, Statewide Small Business Coaching Program for Entrepreneurs
● The Forward Program will support founders in Michigan who are positioned to be approved for business loans of up to $50,000
● Applications are open for the 6-month program, which will combine education, coaching, technical support, and loan readiness support
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (July 23, 2025) – Entrepreneurs across Michigan have a new resource available for growing, improving, and funding their small businesses, thanks to a new first-of-its-kind program from Operations School and Michigan Women Forward.
Racheal Allen, founder and CEO of Operations School (or OSchool), a nonprofit organization that trains, empowers, and equips minority business owners for success, and Carolyn Cassin, CEO of Michigan Women Forward, a nonprofit dedicated to the economic empowerment of women and minorities, are pleased to announce the launch of “The Forward Program” Michigan’s first all-virtual, statewide small business coaching program for entrepreneurs.
The Forward Program is a six-month initiative that will support up to 20 Michigan-based small businesses in scaling their operations and preparing for funding. The program will target founders who are positioned to be approved for business loans of up to $50,000 and will provide support in navigating the loan process.
“We’re incredibly excited to partner with Michigan Women Forward to help entrepreneurs across the state build thriving businesses that drive economic growth,” said OSchool CEO Racheal Allen. “Our goal is to provide valuable lessons in building a profitable business and give entrepreneurs who are positioned to be approved for a business loan the support they need to get across the finish line.”
“The best part is that this program is all-virtual, so no matter where you are located in the state of Michigan, this opportunity is available to you,” Allen added.
The Forward Program, which will run from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm on Mondays, will draw from OSchool’s flagship “Get Your Business Legit” curriculum, with topics including loan readiness, branding and marketing, AI and automation, strategies for growth, and more. The program will also include coaching and technical assistance.
“Partnering with OSchool presents the perfect opportunity to combine their flagship curriculum for small business owners with Michigan Women Foward’s expertise in small business loans,” said Michigan Women Forward CEO Carolyn Cassin. “This program will have a ripple effect of success and economic prosperity that propels business owners forward. We’re excited to launch and see it all unfold.”
The Forward Program September 15. The program is accepting applications here.
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About OSchool:
Founded by Racheal Allen in 2019, Operations School, or OSchool, is a nonprofit business service organization with a mission to train, empower and equip BIPOC startup and nonprofit leaders with the skills to successfully manage and scale their organizations. OSchool has served nearly 2,000 entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders, awarded more than $100,000 in small business grants, and expanded its reach across Michigan through partnerships with the Apple Developer Academy, the Lansing Economic Development Corporation, the Michigan Black Business Alliance, and more.
OSchool is located inside Centric Place, a first-of-its-kind hub for Black arts, culture and entrepreneurship in metro Detroit. Learn more at: operationsschool.com.
About Michigan Women Forward:
Michigan Women Forward is a community development financial institution dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for women and entrepreneurs of color. Through access to capital, business resources, and leadership programs, MWF works to build a stronger, more equitable economy across Michigan. Learn more at miwf.org.
Additional Information:
Great news for women entrepreneurs across Michigan. A new program geared towards helping women founders grow, improve, and fund their small businesses launches this month, thanks to a new, all-virtual business coaching program from Operations School (or OSchool) and Michigan Women Forward.
According to the U.S Census Bureau, women own approximately 43% of Michigan Businesses or about 392,000 women-owned businesses in our state. But, it is generally harder for women-owned businesses to secure funding.
The Forward Program will support up to 20 Michigan-based, women-owned businesses in scaling their operations preparing for up to $50,000 in funding. The free program is geared towards founders who are well-positioned to be approved for business loans of up to $50,000 and will provide support in navigating the loan process.
Applications for the inaugural cohort are available here. The program begins September 15.
The program is a partnership between OSchool, a nonprofit organization that trains, empowers, and equips minority business owners for success, and Michigan Women Forward, a nonprofit and Community Development Financial Institution or CDFI, with expertise in providing capital funding to women and minority-led small businesses.
The six-month program will run on Mondays, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm, and will draw from OSchool’s flagship “Get Your Business Legit” curriculum, with topics including loan readiness, branding and marketing, AI and automation, strategies for growth, and more.
